Enter PAROLLES. 1 Lord. O, for the love of laughter, hinder not the humour of his design; let him fetch off his drum in any hand. Ber. How now, monsieur? this drum sticks sorely in your disposition. 66 2 Lord. A pox on 't, let it go; 'tis but a drum. "Thuriger. Thou lozel, hath slug infected you? 66 Why do you give such kind entertainment to that cobweb? Scopas. It shall have Tom Drum's entertainment: a flap with a fox-tail." I Both these pieces are, perhaps, too late in time, to come to the assistance of our author: so we must look a little higher. What is said here to Bertram is to this effect: My lord, as you have taken this fellow [Parolles] into so near a confidence, if, upon his being found a counterfeit, you don't cashier him from your favour, then your attachment is not to be removed. will now subjoin a quotation from Holinshed, (of whose books Shakspeare was a most diligent reader) which will pretty well ascertain Drum's history. This chronologer, in his description of Ireland, speaking of Patrick Sarsefield, (mayor of Dublin in the year 1551) and of his extravagant hospitality, subjoins, that no guest had ever a cold or forbidding look from any part of his family: so that his porter, or any other officer, durst not, for both his eares, give the simplest man that resorted to his house, Tom Drum his entertaynement, which is, to hale a man in by the heade, and thrust him out by both the shoulders. Theobald. A contemporary writer has used this expression in the same manner that our author has done; so that there is no reason to suspect the word John in the text to be a misprint: "In faith good gentlemen, I think we shall be forced to give you right John Drum's entertainment, [i. e. to treat you very ill] for he that composed the book we should present, hath snatched it from us at the very instant of entrance." Introduction to Fack Drum's Entertainment, a comedy, 1601. Malone. Again, in Taylor's Laugh and be fat, 78: "And whither now is Monsr Odcome come "Who on his owne backe-side receiv'd his pay? "Not like the Entertainmt of Facke Drum, "Who was best welcome when he went away." Again, in Manners and Customs of all Nations, by Ed. Aston, 1611, 4to. p. 280: "- some others on the contrarie part, give them John Drum's intertainm reviling and beating them away from their houses," &c. Reed. 5 - in any hand.] The usual phrase is—at any hand, but in any hand will do. It is used in Holland's Pliny, p. 456: "he must be a free citizen of Rome in any hand." Again, p. 508,. 553, 546. Steevens. Par. But a drum! Is 't but a drum? A drum so lost! -There was an excellent command! to charge in with our horse upon our own wings, and to rend our own soldiers. 2 Lord. That was not to be blamed in the command of the service; it was a disaster of war that Cæsar himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command. Ber. Well, we cannot greatly condemn our success: some dishonour we had in the loss of that drum: but it is not to be recovered. Par. It might have been recovered. Ber. It might, but it is not now. Par. It is to be recovered: but that the merit of service is seldom attributed to the true and exact performer, I would have that drum or another, or hic jacet. Ber. Why, if you have a stomach to 't, monsieur, if you think your mystery in stratagem can bring this instrument of honour again into his native quarter, be magnanimous in the enterprize, and go on; I will grace the attempt for a worthy exploit: if you speed well in it, the duke shall both speak of it, and extend to you what further becomes his greatness, even to the utmost syllable of your worthiness. Par. By the hand of a soldier, I will undertake it. Ber. But you must not now slumber in it. 7 Par. I'll about it this evening: and I will presently pen down my dilemmas, encourage myself in my certainty, put myself into my mortal preparation, and, by midnight, look to hear further from me. Ber. May I be bold to acquaint his grace, you are gone about it? 6 I would have that drum or another, or hic jacet.] i. e. Here lies;-the usual beginning of epitaphs. I would (says Parolles) recover either the drum I have lost, or another belonging to the enemy; or die in the attempt. Malone. 7— I will presently pen down my dilemmas,] By this word, Parolles is made to insinuate that he had several ways, all equally certain, of recovering his drum. For a dilemma is an argument that concludes both ways. Warburton. I think, that by penning down his dilemmas, Parolles means, that he will pen down his plans on the one side, and the probable obstructions he was to meet with, on the other. M. Mason Par. I know not what the success will be, my lord; but the attempt I vow. Ber. I know, thou art valiant; and, to the possibility of thy soldiership, will subscribe for thee. Farewel. Par. I love not many words. [Exit. 1 Lord. No more than a fish loves water. Is not this a strange fellow, my lord, that so confidently seems to undertake this business, which he knows is not to be done; damns himself to do, and dares better be damned than to do 't? 2 Lord. You do not know him, my lord, as we do: certain it is, that he will steal himself into a man's favour, and, for a week, escape a great deal of discoveries; but when you find him out, you have him ever after. Ber. Why, do you think, he will make no deed at all of this, that so seriously he does address himself unto? 1 Lord. None in the world; but return with an invention, and clap upon you two or three probable lies: but we have almost embossed him,' you shall see his fall 8 possibility of thy soldiership,] I will subscribe (says Bertram) to the possibility of your soldiership. His doubts being now raised, he suppresses that he should not be so willing to vouch for its probability. Steevens. I believe Bertram means no more than that he is confident Parolles will do all that soldiership can effect. He was not yet certain that he was "a hilding." 9 Par. I love not many words. Malone. 1 Lord. No more than a fish loves water.] Here we have the origin of this boaster's name; which, without doubt, (as Mr. Steevens has observed) ought, in strict propriety, to be written -Paroles. But our author certainly intended it otherwise, having made it a trisyllable. "Rust sword, cool blushes, and Parolles live." He probably did not know the true pronunciation. Malone. 1 —we have almost embossed him,] To emboss a deer is to inclose him in a wood. Milton uses the same word: "Like that self-begotten bird "In the Arabian woods imbost, "Which no second knows or third." Johnson. It is probable that Shakspeare was unacquainted with this word, in the sense which Milton affixes to it, viz. from emboscare, Ital. to enclose in a thicket. When a deer is run hard, and foams at the mouth, in the language of the field, he is said to be embossed. Steevens. to-night; for, indeed, he is not for your lordship's respect. 2 Lord. We'll make you some sport with the fox, ere we case him. He was first smoked by the old lord Lafeu: when his disguise and he is parted, tell me what a sprat you shall find him; which you shall see this very night. 1 Lord. I must go look my twigs; he shall be caught. Ber. Your brother, he shall go along with me. 3 1 Lord. As 't please your lordship: I'll leave you.3 [Exit. Ber. Now will I lead you to the house, and show you The lass I spoke of. 2 Lord. But, you say, she's honest. Ber. That's all the fault: I spoke with her but once, And found her wondrous cold; but I sent to her, By this same coxcomb that we have i' the wind, Tokens and letters which she did re-send; And this is all I have done: She's a fair creature; Will you go see her? 2 Lord. 4 With all my heart, my lord. SCENE VII. [Exeunt. Florence. A Room in the Widow's House. Enter HELENA and Widow. Hel. If you misdoubt me that I am not she, I know not how I shall assure you further, "To know when a stag is weary (as Markham's Country Contentments say) you shall see him imbost, that is, foaming and slavering about the mouth with a thick white froth," &c. Tollet. 2 —— ere we case him.] That is, before we strip him naked. 3 Johnson. I'll leave you.] This line is given in the old copy to the second lord, there called Captain G, who goes out; and the first lord, there called Captain E, remains with Bertram. The whole course of the dialogue shows this to have been a mistake. See p. 248. "i Lord. [i. e. Captain E.] I, with a troop of Florentines," &c. 4 Malone. we have the wind,] To have one in the wind, is enumerated as a proverbial saying by Ray, p. 261. Reed. But I shall lose the grounds I work upon.5 Wid. Though my estate be fallen, I was well born, Nothing acquainted with these businesses; And would not put my reputation now In any staining act. Hel. Nor would I wish you. Wid. I should believe you; For you have show'd me that, which well approves Hel. Take this purse of gold, And let me buy your friendly help thus far, Which I will over-pay, and pay again, When I have found it. The count he wooes your daughter, 8 Lays down his wanton siege before her beauty, To buy his will, it would not seem too dear, 5 But I shall lose the grounds I work upon.] i. e. by discovering herself to the count. Warburton. 3 —— to your sworn counsel -] To your private knowledge, after having required from you an oath of secrecy. Johnson. 7 Now his important blood will nought deny —] Important here, and elsewhere, is importunate. Johnson. So, Spenser, in The Fairy Queen, B. II, c. vi, st. 29: "And with important outrage him assailed." Important, from the French Emportant. Tyrwhitt. 8 the county wears,] i. e. the count. So, in Romeo and Juliet, we have "the county Paris." Steevens. |